New Delhi: A most wanted operative of the Pakistan based group Jaish-e-Mohammed was among three militants killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Sunday. The slain militant, identified as Saifullah, had reportedly been active in the region for the past two years and had narrowly escaped security operations on multiple occasions.
The encounter unfolded after forces received specific intelligence inputs regarding the movement of militants in the area. Acting swiftly, security personnel launched a coordinated operation. As teams moved in to cordon off the suspected location, the militants opened fire, triggering a fierce exchange.
The group had taken shelter inside a mud house situated along a hillside. Security forces responded with sustained and precise fire, ultimately neutralising all three militants at the site. The operation involved personnel from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Central Reserve Police Force, and special forces units.
Officials recovered two assault rifles along with other supplies from the encounter location. The elimination of Saifullah marks a significant development in ongoing counter militancy efforts in the district. Recently, another key militant identified as Adil was also killed in a separate operation in the same region.
The Chatroo forest belt has witnessed several encounters in recent weeks as security agencies intensify operations in the rugged terrain. Under Operation Trashi I, launched in January, forces have focused on conducting extensive searches and targeted actions in forested and mountainous areas of Kishtwar, including Chatroo, Sonnar, Dolgam and Dichhar.
Authorities have stepped up surveillance and combing efforts in these challenging zones to dismantle militant networks and restore stability in the region.
